Sheesh, it was just a question
by madamefizz
Summary: Peter asks yet another question, and little does he know, that that is the answer.


AN:/ I didn't predict that this would become a fanfiction. I sort of just wrote it and since I haven't added in awhile, decided to post it. Hope you all enjoy!

Oh, and everything that is rightfully J.K Rowling's isn't mine.

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The trees were that ripened orange brown color, falling down over the heads of two Gryffindors on their way to wherever the hell Merlin's beard took them. There was a previous party of four but some had left, leaving just two of them alone, hiking up the hill passed the Whomping Willow.

"Next time I see those two I'm going to hit them," Remus threatened, even though he knew he wasn't really going to hit Sirius and James. "Who do they think they are, going off in the middle of hanging about just to go frolic around the girls dormitory?" Remus grumbled kicking a pebble with the toe of his shoe.

Peter Pettigrew however, refrained himself from remarking to Remus that they both had passed on the invitation to spy on the Gryffindor girls in fear they would get in trouble, or, as Remus put it "be morally wrong." See, the Pettigrew boy didn't really get Remus' actions- even though he was hanging around with the boy for two years now. Remus said things weird, using words like 'frolic' and old timey sayings like Merlin's underpants. He talked like an old man—at least that was how Sirius put it-although now Remus had at least bothered to call snogging it's proper term instead of saying "first step hanky panky".

"You're not really going to hit them, are you?" the Pettigrew boy asked.

"No, Peter," Remus answered begrudgingly, hiking up the hill. "I'm not,"

"So what are we going to do then?" Peter called, running up beside Remus in order to keep up. "You're not saying you just want to go to the dorms?"

"I was actually going to go to the library," Remus answered, thinking that he may as well have some type of productive day since his friends decided to leave him. "You can come if you'd like,"

Peter stuck out his tongue to himself. "Nah, I guess I'll just stick about in the dorms,"

It was quiet as the two boys hiked up the rest of the way towards Hogwarts. Twelve year old Remus, having gone through some miraculous growth spurt just in time for his twelfth birthday—and who was currently taller and skinnier than all four of his friends, mind you-had long legs and could hike up faster than Peter. He had even beat James out of the lead for being the tallest, James Potter, who was practically five inches taller than Remus himself the day they all boarded the Hogwarts Express on their first year.

"Say, Remus," Peter called a whole foot behind Remus who was now at the front gates of Hogwarts. "Can I ask you something?"

Peter's question was about to fit into the category of his insensitive personality. Ever since James and Sirius thought to become his friends and add him to their little "group", they'd had the guts to tell him when to shut up and when his questions were a tad irritating. Remus, also believed that Peter's questions were intrusive and usually insensitive, but that didn't change the fact that he usually let him ask them anyway.

"What, Pete?" Remus asked right in time for Peter to catch up.

"What's with all those scars?"

Remus stopped midway up the steps to the library before turning around to face Peter. Peter had asked these kind of questions before, but they never seemed to matter until now. Heck, the first day Remus sat down at the Gryffindor table for their first year breakfast, Peter had asked him where he had gotten his scars. Luckily, Remus just stared dumbfounded long enough for Sirius to tell Peter to shut up.

"What scars?" he asked confused, yet again, just to stall Peter for a little while.

"The ones on your face,"

"I got them a while ago, Pete," Remus chuckled nonchalantly. "It really doesn't matter,"

"James and Sirius always tell me not to ask whenever we bring it up. They said you'd get upset, but I don't think you'd get upset. You seem cool about it,"

Remus parted his lips as if he was going to say something, but then closed them equally as fast as he opened them. They brought it up when he wasn't there? What a freak he was! Why was he deluding himself into thinking that people didn't talk about his scars? Why did he ever think he could walk around like a normal person when his weirdness was imprinted on his face like a freak?

"If they told you not to bring it up, then why did you?" Remus asked reasonably, without an ounce of coldness in his voice. He just noticed now that Peter and him were standing awkwardly by the staircase. Peter was standing there doubly awkward trying to think of an equally reasonable answer.

"Well, you seem cool about it," was all he mustered.

"Well, Peter," Remus began. "If I told you how I got these scars you'd be scared. That's why I don't tell anyone," Remus was technically not lying.

The two boys stood on the marbled steps of Hogwarts, looking at each new passerby and then back at each other, almost like they were regretting something. Remus, had a not so smug look on his face, where his lips parted into a tight line, and his green eyes were round and wide. Peter however, resorted to looking like a lost puppy staring frighteningly into Remus' eyes and then back at the passerby's.

"So..?" Peter began not wanting to finish his sentence.

"You really want to know?" Remus asked wanting so much to spook Peter, but to also give him the cold shoulder and not tell him. Remus now took his time hiking up the steps towards the library, hearing Peter's footsteps close behind him.

"Oh, come on. What's a secret between two friends?" Peter asked with a new found smugness to his voice.

"Alright," Remus said only turning away from him to retrieve a table away from the persnickety librarian that sat in the center of the room. "But that means you can't even tell Sirius,"

Although, he kept it to himself, Remus always saw how Peter idolized Sirius, trying to copy the way he walked, talked, even phrased his sentences. Peter loved Sirius.

"I promise," Peter said while Remus rummaged for a book in the History section. He placed his hand on his heart. "May Merlin strike me down if I do,"

"Alright," Remus said finally feeling content on a large nicely bound book. He plopped it on the table he choose and sat down.

Once again, there was silence amongst the twelve year olds. Remus looked at the new book he'd chosen, flipping through the pages, stopping at one that caught his eye for a brief moment, and then flipping through again. Peter, tried to nonchalantly peer over the table to see what Remus was reading, before looking up at his occupied green eyes and giving up. This process lasted for a good twenty minutes—in those twenty minutes, Peter tapping his foot or jumping up and down for some sort of way to pass the time, or get Remus to notice him.

"Well?" Peter asked restlessly. "Are you going to tell me?"

"Here," Remus said finally stopping at a page. He tilted the book so Peter could see it as well. "Well I best be going off. We don't want James and Sirius to get into too much trouble, do we?" Remus asked with a smile, before getting up and walking out of the library.

Peter looked at him with wide eyes, wondering whether or not he should follow him, before turning his eyes towards the contents of the page. Lycanthropy, it read in big bold letters on the top of the page. Werewolves.

Peter gave a nervous smile, looking at the book, and back the exit where Remus had left. Of course, this was some joke. Remus was teaching him not to ask him about his scars. Sheesh, the guy did take things a tad seriously, didn't he? It was just a question.

But little did Peter know that that was the answer.


End file.
